Pescatarian shrimp and sausage gumbo from a Louisiana native

As a native Louisianan, when I became a pescatarian, it was really important to convert my beloved Cajun recipes to fit with my lifestyle. I modified my original chicken and sausage gumbo recipe to a shrimp and vegan sausage gumbo, and I think it's better than ever! 

As I noted in the older recipe, I use a dry roux (recipe below) to reduce fat, and I lower the carbs by using a smaller amount of roux and adding in some stealthy pumpkin puree to thicken (optional). 

Pescatarian Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo
1 lb sliced okra (frozen or fresh)

2 T butter or oil

1/2 lb Tofurky Andouille sausage (Field Roast chipotle sausage is a decent substitute), sliced into half-moons
1 medium onion, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 T minced garlic

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I like the fire roasted kind)
1/2 cup dry roux (see directions below)

1 T Better than Bouillon (I like "no chicken" flavor)

4 cups water 
1 bay leaf

1 t Worchestershire sauce
1 1/2 t Tony Chacherie's seasoning (a Cajun cooking staple. Fortunately, most major grocery stores in the US seem to carry it. Also readily available online. Buy some. Put it on everything.)

1/2 t dried thyme leaves

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (optional, to thicken)

Garnish
Tabasco sauce to taste
chopped green onions
rice (I do brown)

Serves 6-7

Method
Preheat oven to 425. Place sliced okra on a greased baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a dutch oven greased with butter or oil, brown sausage over high heat. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper and brown. Don't be afraid to blacken it a little. Add garlic and cook for a minute. Stir in tomatoes and dry roux until no dry clumps remain. 

Add liquid, slowly at first, stirring so the roux forms a paste. Add remaining ingredients except shrimp, okra, and pumpkin, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add shrimp and roasted okra; simmer for another 5 minutes, until shrimp are fully cooked and still tender. Add pumpkin if the broth is too thin for your taste. It should be thick like a stew. Serve with a scoop of rice, fresh green onions, and a dash of Tabasco sauce.

Making Dry Roux
To make this recipe, you'll need 1/2 cup flour. But I like to triple the batch so I will have some for later. It lasts for a year in the freezer, and it is convenient to have on hand. You can just grab a couple of tablespoons to thicken a gravy.

Basically, you're just toasting flour in the oven pan until it gets brown. Place the flour in a large pan or cast iron skillet and bake at 400. Check and stir every 10 minutes. This can take from half an hour to 45 minutes, depending how much flour you used. When it is ready, it will start to smell funny, like glue that's about to burn but is not actually burned. It will be the color of a brown paper bag. Be careful--dry flour is deceptive. It holds a lot of heat and can burn you.